Canterbury Welcomes new recruits

It's been a busy time recently for Christchurch (NZ) based band Canterbury Brass and looking forward to a successful 2012 the band has strengthened it's ranks.

Ian & Debbie Lester have recently joined on 1st Baritone & 3rd Cornet respectively. Ian hails from the UK although has been living in New Zealand since the mid-70s. In NZ he has been a member of numerous 'National' bands and prior to moving out here played with Hanwell Band & Tredegar Town under the late great John Childs.

Adrian Dalton has also joined the band on BBb Bass. Adrian and his young family have just moved to post-earthquake Chch having spent the last four years in Ireland, he and his Olive backpacked NZ in 2003 (where he played for us at our national contest in Rotorua) and have now realised their dream of kiwi life. He is a former member Flowers Band (Gloucester) as well as playing with Sellers International (Huddersfield) and Bournemouth Concert Brass in his native Dorset.

The band has a number of public parks concerts over the remaining summer months as Chch continues to recover from the earthquakes of 2011. It's business as usual here now for the band and we hope to announce more high-quality signings in the near future.

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A rolling stone gathers no moss and accordingly the band are delighted to welcome three new players to bolster their ranks.

The band’s new Flugel Horn player Carolyn Ramsbottom hails from Wetherby (West Yorkshire) and is part of a growing contingent of POMEs in the band. She studied music at Huddersfield University under the guidance world renowned cornetist Phillip McCann graduating in 2005 with a Bachelors Degree with upper second class honours. In 2008 she took the plunge and emigrated to NZ starting off in Auckland where she played for The Dalewool Band. Whilst there she played ‘Gloria’ in aproduction of the stage show based on the hit movie Brassed Off, one of only a few who have managed to act AND play Flugel in the role. She has lived in France, loves dark chocolate and admits “Flugel is my passion”

Carolyn recently moved south to study Landscape Architecture at Lincoln University and Canterbury Brass is delighted she has chosen us to display her talents.

We are also delighted to welcome Dan Black who joins the cornet front row following a move from Blenheim down to Christchurch to study Chemistry, and Vicky Price who adds her considerable experience to our percussion team.

Commenting on the new additions Musical Director Tyme Marsters said…“It’s great to have these fresh faced new signings who between them bring youth, experience and excellence. As we prepare our bid for the NZ National Championships in Timaru in July, these signings give us that extra shot in the arm”